Long Point Bird Observatory 2008

In 2008, I spent 3 months of the autumn (or Fall, as they insisted on calling it) volunteering at Long Point Bird Observatory, as part of the migration monitoring scheme run by Bird Studies Canada. The birding was absolutely superb, and here's a few photos from my time, shown in chronological order, so hopefully giving a feel as to what it was like witnessing the different stages of the migration.

Semi-palmated Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper

Red-eyed Vireo 

Black-throated Green Warbler

Willet

Canada Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler and American Redstart, at the drinking pool

Magnolia Warbler

Northern Waterthrush

Wilson's Warbler

Nashville Warbler, the next WP first?

Baltimore Oriole

Swainsons Thrush

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Blue-winged Warbler

Least Flycatcher

Cedar Waxwing

Great-crested Flycatcher

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Connecticut Warbler

Wood Thrush

Northern Harrier

Tennessee Warbler

Yellow-breasted Chat 

Indigo Bunting

Hooded Warbler

Myrtle Warbler

Coopers Hawk

Long-eared Owl, the best 'fondle tick' of the season

Fox Sparrow

Hermit Thrush

Eastern Bluebird

Bonaparte's Gull

American Buff-bellied Pipit

Red-shouldered Hawk

Northern Goshawk

American Tree Sparrow

Wilson's Snipe

Northern Saw-whet Owl. We ran a standardised ringing program for these birds, playing a tape for  4 hours after dark. This cutie was found roosting in one of the trees next to the ringing lab

Boreal (Tengmalm's) Owl. A first for Long Point, caught during Northern Saw-whet ringing.

American Robin

Savannah Sparrow

Cave Swallow. We managed to catch 6 of these birds after a flock arrived in  bad weather. Only one had been ringed in Canada before!

Rough-legged Hawk

Red-tailed Hawk. Caught on my final day at the tip station. Having spent most of the season trying to catch a big raptor, this was an amazing way to end my time at Long Point. What a bird!